Recent advances in surgical pathology of adrenal incidentaloma

Adrenal incidentaloma has recently increased in number because of the advances in radiologic diagnostic means. The clinical management and histopathological diagnosis of the resected adrenal mass has therefore become increasingly important. When evaluating the resected adrenal mass of the patients with adrenal incidentaloma, it is very important to evaluate the following aspects: 1) is the mass functional or not? 2) is the mass malignant or not? and 3) is the mass of adrenocortical origin or not? In this mini review, the recent advances in endocrine pathology of adrenal incidentaloma are briefly summarized, with emphasis on the three aspects above. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.